BM Half Stat Day:

A.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  1444     Reading:  148

A.M. Blood Pressure:     Not taken

P.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  2029     Reading:  101

Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    Breakfast: Normal, including O.J., again.
    Lunch: Peanuts mixed with cashews and coffee.
    Dinner: 1/6th of a piece of a Colossal brand chicken pot pie.
    Her Bowel Movement occurred at 1430: Good volume; excellent consistency; very easy elimination; very easy clean-up.
    She retired much earlier than usual tonight, at 2230. Her light just went out at 2300.

Half Stat Day:

A.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  1459     Reading:  141

A.M. Blood Pressure:     Time:  1503     BP:  151/74     Pulse:  57

    Breakfast: Normal except no orange juice; Detox tea with her breakfast instead of afterwards.
    Lunch: Peanuts mixed with cashews and V-8 juice with 1 tsp curry powder.
    Dinner: Carl's Jr. $6.00 Jalapeno Burger with onion rings and loads of ketchup. Third lisinopril and glipizide at bedtime.
    Retired at 0245, 12/30/06. Light out at 0315. That's right. She was cruising, tonight.

BM Three Quarter Stat Day:

Blood Glucose:     Time:  1335     Reading:  157

A.M. Blood Pressure:     Time:  1342     BP:  150/69     Pulse:  64

P.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  2030     Reading:  155

P.M. Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    Breakfast: Ham and eggs, 1/2 cranberry scone, no OJ, two 10 mg glipizide tablets.
    Peanuts and coffee.
    Dinner: A croissant, ham, swiss cheese, mustard sandwich. I also gave her two 10 mg glipizide tablets at dinner. And, she received three lisinopril today, one at bedtime. As I recall, she got only two yesterday, which accounts for her high systolic this morning.
    Her Bowel Movement occurred at 1630, just before she laid down for a nap: Fairly Good Volume; excellent consistency; very easy elimination; very easy clean-up.
    She was clearly tired today. I could clearly see this "in her aspect and in her eyes." Little movement, lots of sleep, not prone to pay attention to anything, eyes swollen and itchy, so agitated she didn't even want her hair washed and set.
    She retired early, too. So early that she took me by surprise. She just got up, headed into the bathroom and mentioned over her shoulder, "Well, I'm going to bed." That was at about 2230.
    I scrambled to. In the bathroom I asked her if she wanted her legs rubbed down. Leg rub downs are especially beneficial when she's tired.
    She stared up at me from the toilet seat. Her eyes said, "If you think I'm getting back up, then down, then up again, then down then up once more before I go to bed, you're crazy. "We'll do it tomorrow," she said.
    She was in her bedroom by 2300. Her light went out at 2330.
    I was in bed before midnight, as well.

Quarter Stat Day:

P.m. Blood Glucose:     Time:  2128     Reading:  206

P.M. Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    All three (1, 2, 3) posts for this date over at The Mom & Me Journals dot Net will go a long way toward explaining today. I let Mom sleep in. For selfish reasons. Didn't bother her any.
    Although I'm not sure exactly when she arose, I know that she was at the table eating breakfast by 1600. Short bath, though. So, she might have arisen as late as 1500 and as early as 1430. Not sure.
    As we were bathing I half jokingly asked her, "So, how would you like your ham this morning?"
    She cocked her head. "Surprise me," she said. I did. I had purchased some fresh, buttery croissants at the Wildflower Bread Company when I purchased the scones. I split one in half and made her heated ham/egg/Swiss (Jarlsburg) cheese sandwich for breakfast. She was thrilled.
    She didn't take a nap. I did, yet again, though. I inadvertently dozed on the couch again, second day in a row, I think, and awoke at least a couple hours later. This time I had to clear my chest. I must have picked up a cold on the trip.
    Technically, I don't suppose Mom needed a recovery day, today, but I got no argument from her and I needed one.
    No formal lunch.
    Dinner about a half hour after her BG was taken. Yes, I gave her 20 mg glipizide instead of 10, although I wasn't surprised at her BG.
    Only two glipizide and two iron capsules today, though.
    She's already retired, at 2330, although her light remains on while she reads herself tired. Ah. Just went out at 2355.

BM Three Quarter Stat Day:

A.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  1324     Reading:  156

A.M. Blood Pressure:     Time:  1333     BP:  123/65     Pulse:  68

P.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  2315     Reading:  233

P.M. Blood Pressure:     Time:Not taken

    So! I guess the added glipizide yesterday did it's job. I was not at all astonished at her morning BG. I thought it might be a little higher.
    The three 10 mg lisinopril seems to be working well, too. I don't think it'll hurt her for her BP to be a little lower. A diastolic in the 60's is decent, for her age. I need to worry when it starts dropping into the 50's, and keep a close eye on it.
    Breakfast: The Special Christmas Breakfast we didn't have yesterday, with Wildflower Bread Company's excellent cranberry scones (they're more like flaky cranberry short bread); HoneyBaked Ham; one hard over egg, heavily peppered. I left the margarine out beside her plate but she wasn't interested, even when reminded. She's a butter hound and the scones are probably better than 50% butter, so I'm she she caught scent of their fragrance once they were warmed. I told she didn't need to eat it all at once. If she couldn't finish it, I'd save it. She appreciated this, as she told me when she arose that she wasn't "very hungry." Little by little, cranberry by cranberry, though, she ate the entire scone and polished off the rest of her breakfast, besides. She didn't have O.J. because of the scone, so her Detox tea went with her breakfast.
    She professed, from the time she arose, to feeling, "just fine," getting irritated with my repeated questioning. There was Something About Mary, though:

• Her eyes looked pollution-hung over. I thought one eye might be developing a sty. The first layer of skin was swollen, but not the under tissues. Thus, it didn't take long for the cold wash cloth compress upon which I insisted, this morning, shrunk the bags around her eyes. Her whites remained red, though. I insisted on her OTC eye drops, as well, Opcon A, I think it's called. That helps some, although usually only for about four hours.
• Although her right leg was showed improvement over yesterday, she carried herself as though her whole body was stiff, which is probably why, when I queried a couple of times if she "hurt", she said no. Finally, I guess, "Stiff?"
      "That's it," she said, grinning, her finger drawing an exclamation point in the air. Before she exited the bathroom, this morning, I gave her two extra 81 mg aspirin.
• Still, at this time, when I reminded her of her truncated attempt to view The Santa Clause, reminding her that she could watch at her leisure, did she want to, she said yes, and maybe "the other one," too.

    Finally, as I was setting up the movie, she headed into the bathroom, for what she and I both thought would be a bowel movement. As it turns out, she was winding down and announced she was going to take a nap just two and a half hours after she arose (one her own, I was going to give her until 1400) at 1300.
    I'm not sure how long she'll sleep, but I'm not worried. I gave her two 10 mg glipizide pills. That'll keep the high fasting BG this morning and the scone to a low roar. I'll let her lead the way as far as further meals. I'll suggest only if she seems to be fidgeting to eat, which I can tell. She frequently swings her head toward the dinette with a worried look on her face, the way a horse checks on her manger. It's amusing to witness. It's as though she's afraid I'll forget to suggest the upcoming meal.
    Anyway, she's down, now. When I told her I'd let her sleep, within reason (if it get's close to 2000, I'll probably start bothering her), she completely relaxed. Some days, just moving is hard. Takes you by surprise.
    Anyway, I'm keeping a fairly detailed record of yesterday and the next few days, as a way of notating her recovery from The Event, The Visit, The Trip and, hmmm...not sure what else. Oh, yeah, changing her medicine regimen. I may, a few days ahead of today, take her evening BG's for awhile. If I can keep from irritating her. We'll see.

UPDATE LATER IN DAY:
  I can't tell you what got into me, but, when Mom awoke from her nap, around 1600, I decided we needed ice cream. I gave her 10 mg glipizide. And, I think, as I recall, 10 mg lisinopril. Needless to say, she was delighted.
    So, I figured, just for fun, I should take her BG later in the evening when I give her a light, late lunch, and give her yet another glipizide, if necessary, and a third lisinopril. I chickened out taking her BP, though. She seemed like she would be easily agitated.
    Then, while she watched Animal Planet and the oldies channel, can't remember which one that is, without meaning to, sugar blissed, I lay back on the couch to "rest my eyes" at about 1800 and didn't awaken until a few minutes after 2300! That is the one problem with those "cold pills". It takes me an extra day to recover from them. I sure am relaxed, though.
    So, her late lunch occurred at about 2330: Two deviled egg halves, about 10 small pimiento stuffed green olives, oh, and coffee, and her evening pills, and that was it, I think.
    The Bowel Movement occurred just before her nap: Good volume; excellent consistency; very easy elimination; very easy clean-up.
    When she awoke from her nap, I remember thinking that she didn't seem all that stiff, anymore, maybe the aspirin did some good. Then, she faltered a bit to the right lowering herself to the chair. I resisted the urge to offer more aspirin because she didn't groan, it just surprised her.
    She remained stationary throughout the evening, as far as I know. I think she made one trip to the bathroom. I was so dead to the world, though, that I didn't hear her pass within three feet of me. I asked her if I snored. She said, "I didn't hear anything."     She retired around 0045, slowly but surely. I had a sudden surge of energy and decided to get tax stuff together and look for my misplaced library card. Then, I ended up here.
    You've noticed, no doubt, that I've begun labeling posts, here. I've set up a label index link in the template over there on the right, below the archives, I think. Hold on...yes. I'm just getting started. I'm looking forward to rereading this journal. I never have. I can only barely remember the numbers it contains. I expect labeling to be straightforward, not nearly so tricky.
    So, I think all went as well as could be expected; better, in some cases. I was pleased to learn that Mom can still allow me to nap, as long as she sees me doing it. Good. I don't think I could have held back from the one that seized me this evening.

BM Half Stat Day:

A.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  0616     Reading:  137

A.M. Blood Pressure:     Time:  Not taken.

P.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  2013     Reading:  127

P.M. Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    My voiced intention was not to take stats today; a combination of "I don't want to know" and "It won't matter anyway" attitude. Beneath this, though, was the absolute intention of taking her BG in the morning, just to pinpoint the starting gate. I was pleased with its location.
    Throughout the day she took all her regular medication, plus an extra 10 mg glipizide around noon when she ate a hardy lunch including crackers. She also had three 10 mg lisinopril, although I wasn't about to hassle with taking her BP, the last just before she retired. It's enough of a hassle on a morning when we're not rushed.
    Breakfast involved eggs scrambled with fried bulk sage pork sausage and MPBIL's Southwestern Fire seasoning, a piece of toasted low carb bread with Vietnamese Cinnamon, her aloe vera gel, no orange juice (I probably would have given her some if her BG had been lower than 110). Thus, I forgot her daily fiber. She's just been skimming the Appropriate Fluid Amounts over the last few days, so I may pay for this, but she seemed well hydrated during her leg rub down this evening. We decided, by the way, as I gave her a particularly luxurious one, that this was the most effective "medical" treatment she receives.
    Lunch consisted of her second glipizide of the day and an appetizer buffet. Mom had at least one of every raw, cut, vegetable: Cherub tomatoes, celery stalks, baby-baby carrots, avocado, green onions, radishes and cauliflower; a standard sour cream based Ranch dressing; some (not sure how many) garlic bagel bites, used as crackers; a delicious, home made cheese ball; one hefty slice each salami, summer sausage, ham, mild cheddar and sharp cheddar; 1/2 deviled egg; also, lots of pimiento stuffed green olives (this should counteract the lack of fiber). She drank decaf coffee throughout the day. She was constantly accompanied by a half filled cup, refilled frequently. So, yeah, I guess she was well hydrated.
    Dinner, which included the ham, mashed potatoes with gravy from the ham (a deliciously turned out experiment on MCF's part), a sinfully sweet sweet potato concoction topped with toasted marshmallows and pecans, and brown sugar and baked.
    Mom, though, was clearly tired and sacked out on their couch through dinner. I didn't disturb her until about 1600, when her eyes were beginning to flutter open and shut. She looked and felt 100% better when she awoke. We left about an hour later with much left over food packed in the back seat of the car. The plentiful portion of ham was plentiful and scented the car enough so that Mom's salivary glands were screaming, through her voice, by the time we got home.
    She was stiff from the car but otherwise not unusually weak; just lacking confidence. I fed her the ham dinner, lukewarm, to her liking, at about 2030. I couldn't resist, I had to see how her BG was doing. I was astounded how well it was regulated.
    She had a little of everything quoted above for dinner and a roll. When she finished she remembered that we'd brought small bags of several types of home baked cookies home. I gave her one each: gingerbread, Mexican Wedding Cakes, some sort of very flavorful Jello sugar cookie, an oatmeal/raisin cookie (more fiber) and a peanut butter, canned "Chinese" noodle, sugar, butter concoction that I wouldn't even try; just the site of it made my teeth ache. It was the first piece of dessert Mom ate, naturally.
    I told her I'd let her sleep in tomorrow. She was pleased to hear this. I will, of course, be judicious. She asked, also, for a "true Christmas breakfast," by which I interpreted she meant some sort of luscious sweet roll, so I'll get some of those cranberry scones and feed her two glipizide in the A.M. Plus, of course, her orange juice, and the ham. We'll probably eat the rest of the left-overs for lunch and dinner tomorrow.
    Her Bowel Movement occurred, thankfully, at 0800 straight up, as we moved toward the door on our way to pack ourselves into the car. She diverted toward the bathroom. I didn't stop her: Good volume; excellent consistency; very easy elimination; very easy clean-up.
    I'm debating whether to begin, again, taking an evening BP, since I'm upping her lisinopril dosage. Look for that later, probably.     She retired, gratefully, bent half over on her way to the bathroom and bedroom, at 2330. Her light was out I think around 2345.

Three Quarter Stat Day:

A.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  1447     Reading:  139

A.M. Blood Pressure:     Time:  1441     BP:  123/62     Pulse:  53

P.M. Blood Glucose:     Time:  2123     Reading:  127

P.M. Blood Pressure:     Not taken

    Breakfast: Normal.
    Lunch: Peanuts and coffee.
    Dinner: A bowl of left over, unfrozen, home made chili with "lots of chopped onion", at Mom's request, and grated jalapeno pepper jack cheese on top.
    The lisinopril (10 mg) throughout the day, last one at bedtime.
    Retired at 2330. Light out at 2345.